Toilet tissue dispenser

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a holder and storage type toilet tissue dispenser for accommodating a plurality of tissue rolls of the character wherein the core of a used tissue roll may be removed and a new roll of tissue can then be positioned for use without removing any portion of the dispenser. The dispenser comprises a lid or cover supported by a base support plate and sidewalls extending therefrom, each sidewall being adapted to support a movable support arm, whereon toilet tissue rolls are positioned.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Percival R. Sutton 2,008,297 7/l935Van Berkel 242/552 9429 Cedartree Road, Dowuey, Calif. 2,639,099 5/1953Gough, Jr. 242/5553 X 90240 3,157,370 11/1964 Govatsos et al 242/55.2gfpd 5 1969 FOREIGN PATENTS l e une [45] Paemed June 22, 1971 1,024,4043/1966 Great Britain 242/5563 Primary ExaminerGeorge F. MautzAttorney-J. Carroll Baisch [54] TOILET TISSUE DISPENSER l Clalm, 6Drawing Figs. I [52] 0.8. CI 242/553 ABSTRACT; There is disclosed aholder and storage type --A47k10/22, toilet tissue dispenser foraccommodating a plurality of tissue A47k 0/32 rolls of the characterwherein the core of a used tissue roll may of Search 242/553, b removedand a new roll of tissue can then be positioned for 55.53, 55.2, 55.55;3 l 2/39; 225/46, 47, 38, 34, 42 use without removing any portion of thedispenser. The dispenser comprises a lid or cover supported by a basesupport [56] 'Rdennm cued plate and sidewalls extending therefrom, eachsidewall being UNITED STATES PATENTS adapted to support a movablesupport arm, whereon toilet tisl,9l7,641 7/l933 Fairchild ..l 242/553sue rolls are positioned.

1 TOILET TISSUE DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates generally to a paper type dispensingapparatus and relates more particularly to toilet tissue dispensingapparatus for home use.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are many and varied types oftoilet tissue holders and dispensers, but these have been mostlydesigned for commercial use and have limited application for the averagehome.

The multiple roll dispensers are normally of a size which is notacceptable for use in a bathroom of a standard home.

Dispensers that have heretofore been used are quite complicated for theaverage housewife to work, as well as it being a time-consumingoperation when the dispenser has to be fully loaded. It is, therefore, apurpose of the present invention to overcome these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a housingopened at the front and bottom and having a lid with a normallyhorizontal part forming the top portion of the housing. The lid servesas a cover for the container to protect the tissue rolls while stored inthe housing. When the lid is raised or removed, ready access is made forreplenishing the dispenser with new rolls of toilet "tissues.

A backwall or plate of the housing is used as a supporting member and isintegrally connected to oppositely disposed end walls which extendlaterally outwardly from said back plate.

One of said end walls is adapted to receive a pivotable arm member in anelongated opening or slot. The opposite free end of the arm memberterminates in an aperture within the opposite end wall to limit anyfurther rotational movement of the arm in a downward direction. Inaddition to the aperture, there is a slot which is integral with theaperture, said slot being positioned vertically above the aperturewhereby the arm member may be readily engaged or disengaged therefrom.When the lid or cover is removed, the amt member is then free to rotatein an upward position so that the new rolls of toilet tissue can beplaced thereon. The arm supporting the rolls is then allowed to berepositioned within the aperture of the sidewall. Said arm membercomprises two portions along its length, one being the larger rearsection, which is pivoted within one end wall, and the other a reducedportion, which is the free end being supported in the aperture of theopposite end wall. The toilet tissue rolls that are not to beimmediately used are placed first on the arm member and rest on theupper incline plane which causes these rolls to move away from the rollto be used. The roll to be used is then placed on the reduced portion ofthe forward end of the arm and is free to rotate about same withoutinterference from the adjacent rolls. At the time the roll is used and anew roll is needed, the core of the used roll is then removed from thedispenser by laterally sliding it through the aperture of the adjacentsidewall. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove any part of thehousing in order to change the toilet tissue rolls.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is toprovide a dispenser for toilet tissue rolls that has a usable rollcombined with a plurality of storage rolls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toilet tissue dispenserof the character that is compact and which can be used in the averagehome, and its dispensing is easily and quickly accomplished.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter wherein the toilet tissue container may be easily and quicklyreplenished with toilet tissue rolls therein. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet tissuedispenser wherein the core of the used roll may be replaced with a newtissue roll without the need to remove any portion BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the presentinvention showing a plurality of toilet tissue rolls therein;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser with portions brokenaway;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of one side of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a core of a toilettissue roll being removed from the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment having a hinged lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawings, the dispenser comprises a housing, generally indicated at10, having a backplate or wall 12 and sidewalls 14 and 16, respectively.Backplate 12 has openings therein to receive screws or other such meansfor mounting of the dispenser to a wall, which is not shown. Inaddition, there is a removable lid or cover 18 supported by thesidewalls 14 and 16, respectively, which defines the housing 10. On thelower face of the lid 18 there is integrally formed a means forretaining the lid in place. This means comprises an L-shaped rib,indicated generally at 20, one portion thereof being parallel to thesidewalls and adjacent thereto to limit lateral movement of the lid 18.The smaller portion 22 of the rib is received in a notch 24 disposed atthe upper inner end of each sidewall adjacent the backplate 12. The lid18 is, therefore, restrained from movement by the rib 20, but may befreely removed when necessary. Sidewalls l4 and 16 extend outwardly fromand perpendicularly to the backplate or wall 12 of the housing 10 andare formed as an integral part thereof. There is an elongated slot 26centrally located in the sidewall 16 which is adapted to receive an armmember, generally indicated at 28. This arm is pivotally connectedtherein by a pivot pin 29, whereby the arm may rotate about the pinsaxis. The opposite free end 30 of the arm member 28 is adapted tobe.received and supported in an aperture 32 of the sidewall 14. In orderfor the free end 30 to engage within the aperture 32, there isvertically positioned above the aperture a slot 34. A passageway isthereby formed for the arm to travel in and out of the aperture whenloading the dispenser is required.

When it is desired to load the dispenser with the toilet tissue rolls21, the lid 18 is removed so that the entire housing is open for freeaccess thereto. The arm member 28 is then raised to a position so thefree end 30 thereof is clear of the housing, making it possible to slidethe new rolls of tissue over said arm member 28. Then, by merelylowering the arm back to a horizontal position the free end thereof isagain supported by said aperture 32.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, said arm member 28 comprises two portionsalong its length, a rear enlarged portion 36, in which the pivot pin 29is placed therethrough, and a forward reduced portion 38.

The toilet tissue rolls that are to be stored and not used are placedfirst on the arm 28 and rest on the upper incline plane 40 of the rearenlarged portion 36, while the tissue roll 21 that is to be used firstis supported on the reduced portion 38 of the arm. The roll is free torotate about the axis of the arm when tissue is needed. As can be seenin FIG. 2, the inclined plane 40 slants downward toward the sidewall 16,as indicated at 39, and therefore enables the stored tissue rolls toslide away from the roll that is being used. In order to control thelateral travel of the roll being used, it is partitioned between thesidewall 14 and the shoulder 42. The shoulder 42 is defined by the upperend of the inclined plane 40 and the reduced portion 38, as shown inFIG. 2.

It should at this time be noted that the cover 18 is adapted with acutout portion 19 above the roll of tissue that is to be used. Thiscutout portion 19 will enable the user to have better access to thetissue, but is not essential to the overall operation of the invention.

When the toilet tissue 21 is used and the core 40 of the roll is to beremoved from the housing 10, said core is laterally slid through theopening 32, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The opening 32 in the sidewall 14is adapted with a bevelled wall 42 to accommodate the smaller diameterof core 40. It, therefore, can be seen that it is not necessary toremove the cover 18 or any part of the housing in order to change to anew toilet tissue roll.

In FIG. 6 there is shown an embodiment having a hinged lid 45 which isconnected to the upper end portion of the back wall 12 by a pin 46whereby the lid may be rotated to a position shown in broken lines. Thisposition, however, would only be needed at the time of loading new rollsin the housing.

I claim:

l. A holder and storage type dispenser for a plurality of toilet tissuerolls, wherein at least one of said rolls is positioned for use and theadditional rolls positioned for storage, each roll having a core onwhich the tissue is wound, comprising:

A. a back support wall;

B. a sidewall extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to one end ofsaid backwall, said sidewall having an elongated aperture;

C. a second sidewall extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to theopposite end of said backwall, said second wall having an annularopening therein and including a slot vertically positioned above andcommunicating with said opening whereby said arm support may travelfreely in and out of said opening;

D. a support arm mounted pivotally within said elongated aperture insaid first-mentioned sidewall, the opposite end of said support armbeing adapted to be received in said annular opening in saidsecond-mentioned sidewall, said support arm comprises a forward reducedportion and a rear enlarged portion having an inclined plane slantingdownwardly toward the first-mentioned wall whereby said stored rollsarepositioned away from said roll to be used, said roll to be used beingpositioned on said reduced portion of said support arm;

E. a cover removably supported by said sidewalls;

F. a plurality of bshaped ribs, each of said ribs having a first portionparallel and adjacent each of said sidewalls and a second portion at aright angle to said first portion; and

G. a notch disposed at the upper inner end of each of said sidewallsadjacent said back support wall, each notch receiving one of secondportions of said ribs whereby said cover is retained in position.

1. A holder and storage type dispenser for a plurality of toilet tissuerolls, wherein at least one of said rolls is positioned for use and theadditional rolls positioned for storage, each roll having a core onwhich the tissue is wound, comprising: A. a back support wall; B. asidewall extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to one end of saidbackwall, said sidewall having an elongated aperture; C. a secondsidewall extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to the oppositeend of said backwall, said second wall having an annular opening thereinand including a slot vertically positioned above and communicating withsaid opening whereby said arm support may travel freely in and out ofsaid opening; D. a support arm mounted pivotally within said elongatedaperture in said first-mentioned sidewall, the opposite end of saidsupport arm being adapted to be received in said annular opening in saidsecond-mentioned sidewall, said support arm comprises a forward reducedportion and a rear enlarged portion having an inclined plane slantingdownwardly toward the firstmentioned wall whereby said stored rolls arepositioned away from said roll to be used, said roll to be used beingpositioned on said reduced portion of said support arm; E. a coverremovably supported by said sidewalls; F. a plurality of L-shaped ribs,each of said ribs having a first portion parallel and adjacent each ofsaid sidewalls and a second portion at a right angle to said firstportion; and G. a notch disposed at the upper inner end of each of saidsidewalls adjacent said back support wall, each notch receiving one ofsecond portions of said ribs whereby said cover is retained in position.